Are you waiting for your kids to talk to you about marijuana? Now that marijuana is legal in Washington for those who are 21 and older, it's more important than ever for parents to talk with their kids about not using marijuana.

A new toolkit, Preventing Underage Marijuana Use, is now available for educating middle and high-school aged youth and their parents about the health and safety risks for young people, and about Washington's marijuana law.

The toolkit includes a parent's guide with tips for preventing underage use of marijuana, the warning signs of teen marijuana use, and how to get help if a teen is already using marijuana. The guide discusses the health risks to adolescents when they use marijuana and gives parents clear steps on what they can do to help their children make the right choices.

In authoring the booklet, Dr. Leslie R. Walker, co-director of Seattle Children’s Hospital Adolescent Substance Abuse Program and Dr. Keven Haggerty, associate director of the University of Washington’s Social Development Research Group, were careful to source the studies and research used in its development.

The guide states that marijuana is addictive and notes that teens who enter substance abuse treatment programs in Washington most often report that marijuana is their primary drug of abuse. Teens who use marijuana can have difficulty with memory, anxiety, depression and even a permanent decrease in IQ with heavy and prolonged use.

The tookit also includes advertising messages and a video for prevention professionals and health educators to use in their outreach efforts.

The toolkit was developed by the Department of Social and Health Services - Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, in partnership with the State Department of Health and the Liquor Control Board.

Below is a video of the specific Washington State Laws and drug facts completed by the City of Mercer Island.

For FREE copies of brochures and flyers, contact Megan Streeter at megan.streeter@esd112.org or call at 360-952-3406